Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Ansan Cost of Living Comparison Between Busan and Ansan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,491 in Busan versus $1,440 in Ansan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,362 in Busan versus $2,235 in Ansan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,234 in Busan versus $3,030 in Ansan.

Living in Busan is roughly 4% more expensive than Ansan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 11% above, Ansan 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 ₩10.9K

$7.38 ₩10.9K

-0.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.93 ₩54.8K

$23.54 ₩34.9K

56.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 ₩8,905

$5.07 ₩7,513

18.34%

Cappuccino

$4.08 ₩6,057

$3.92 ₩5,809

4.08%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₩2,706

$1.66 ₩2,463

9.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,968

$0.70 ₩1,034

90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 ₩5,491

$2.92 ₩4,324

26.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 ₩8,584

$3.63 ₩5,380

59.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,320

$2.18 ₩3,229

2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 ₩5,191

$3.42 ₩5,074

2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 ₩4,394

$3.24 ₩4,804

-8.64%

Eggs

$2.97 ₩4,407

$3.11 ₩4,615

-4.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ₩15.3K

$14.19 ₩21.0K

-27.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 ₩12.5K

$10.93 ₩16.2K

-22.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.07 ₩41.6K

$34.62 ₩51.4K

-18.92%

Apples (1kg)

$8.29 ₩12.3K

$7.93 ₩11.8K

4.54%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 ₩4,800

$3.58 ₩5,304

-9.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.28 ₩10.8K

$5.50 ₩8,151

32.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 ₩7,711

$6.58 ₩9,757

-20.97%

Potato (1kg)

$5.05 ₩7,492

$3.98 ₩5,900

26.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,498

$2.97 ₩4,400

2.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,003

$2.64 ₩3,918

-23.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,711

$1.34 ₩1,981

-14.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,879

$3.26 ₩4,843

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.69 ₩24.8K

$15.49 ₩23.0K

7.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₩2,514

$2.44 ₩3,616

-30.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₩5,178

$3.34 ₩4,951

4.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,650

$1.07 ₩1,587

3.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.63 ₩64.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₩5,121

$3.55 ₩5,267

-2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,169

$0.56 ₩833

41.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.60 ₩24.6K

$9.02 ₩13.4K

84.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₩1,739

$1.20 ₩1,781

-2.50%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.5K ₩40.7M

$27.6K ₩40.9M

-0.36%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.7K ₩36.6M

$24.6K ₩36.4M

0.39%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$187 ₩277.1K

$163 ₩241.9K

14.53%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$49.90 ₩74.0K

$34.67 ₩51.4K

43.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.20 ₩40.3K

$22.23 ₩33.0K

22.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 ₩77.9K

$29.89 ₩44.3K

75.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.38 ₩19.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 ₩17.1K

$10.86 ₩16.1K

6.08%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$496 ₩736.3K

$408 ₩605.1K

21.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ₩20.6M

$23.2K ₩34.4M

-39.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩152.4K

$58.2 ₩86.3K

76.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 ₩98.2K

$47.89 ₩71.0K

38.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 ₩132.1K

$80.6 ₩119.5K

10.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩176.1K

$116 ₩171.9K

2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 ₩766.1K

$443 ₩657.7K

16.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ₩465.0K

$362 ₩536.4K

-13.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 ₩1.5M

$1,117 ₩1.7M

-8.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 ₩993.4K

$742 ₩1.1M

-9.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,547 ₩14.2M

$21.5K ₩31.9M

-55.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,094 ₩10.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,452 ₩3.6M

$1,374 ₩2.0M

78.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

4.14

1.93%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Busan: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ansan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in Busan and $443 in Ansan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 78% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Busan vs $24.00 in Ansan. Groceries flip the comparison at $446 vs $493, with Busan cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Busan vs Ansan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ansan is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Busan pays 78% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $516 in Busan versus $443 in Ansan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $496 in Busan versus $408 in Ansan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ansan – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $37.00 in Busan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,440 in Ansan versus $1,491 in Busan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ansan but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Ansan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Busan and Ansan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ansan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.